Psychogenic movement disorders and other conversion disorders such as psychogenic Parkinsonism, conversion paralysis, and dissociative disorders are common "illnesses without a [bioemedically
verifiable] disease," but understanding of their mechanisms remains sketchy. In a volume based on a 2009 conference, Hallett (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda,
MD) introduces 43 chapters by international experts who treat such functional disorders as "a software, not a hardware problem"--real but not structural, that should be diagnosed by a
neurologist but treated in conjunction with a psychiatrist. They discuss clinical issues in adult and pediatric patients, the phenomenology, epidemiology, physiology, possible genetic basis,
assessment, and treatment of such disorders. The book includes color plates and a CD-ROM with videos of case examples. Annotation �穢2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
